


Needed Control

by SerialKillerQueen



Series: Difficult Girl(s) [12]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Billie's a mess, Coping, Dom/sub Undertones, Female Friendship, Friendship, Genderbending, Genderswap, Heather has her own family issues, Heather's a great friend, Kink to cope (more or less), Light Dom/sub, Non-Sexual Kink, Other, Platonic Relationships, Sexism, do not copy to another site, unbeta'd we die like mne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-24 05:37:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20700818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerialKillerQueen/pseuds/SerialKillerQueen
Summary: Heather recognizes what Billie needs.





	Needed Control

**Author's Note:**

> Stranger Things and its characters do not belong to me. All rights go to their respective owners.

When Billie explains (haltingly, because it's evident she doesn't entirely know how to convey what she's feeling) that she's struggling with her newfound independence Heather understands.

Because Billie talks to her, and she understands her, they have always understood each other, some connection between them that just... happened.

It's the fact that control defines her life. Being controlled by her father, fighting for control in every other area, the way she acted in highschool, so loud and angry and demanding attention, so _she_ could be in control of how people reacted to her, the flirting that she still did up until she and Stephanie got together, so _she_ could control the way conversations would go.

And now she has all the control, control over where she goes, when she interacts with Max, when she sees Stephanie or Heather, when she does the dishes, when she takes out the trash, and this abrupt freedom is suffocating her.

When she suggests that the other girl winces a little bit before giving a hesitant nod, indicating she read her correctly.

Heather knew a couple people at her school who were... loud, about their relationship, and something came up that she can't help but think about now.

It wouldn't be anything sexual like between those two, it's not like that between her and the other girl and honestly she doesn't think Billie really wants _that_ from anyone (not that she's certain either way).

When she suggests it Billie looks at her like she's a bit crazy, and she responds with one thing.

"Trust me, okay?"

She does, and thus begins their slightly clumsy routine, whenever Billie visits her house things are "normal" between them, but whenever Billie asks her to come over to her apartment she takes control.

It's a learning process for both of them, and she knows she has to be very careful, she's doing this to help Billie (and maybe to help herself too, maybe it's nice to not have to portray the image of the overly sweet, submissive daughter, maybe Billie isn't the only one who struggles with her relationship with her family). But she doesn't want to make her feel helpless, like she has no choice in anything, just like she doesn't have to control everything for a little while, that she can _breathe_.

Their friendship only ends up stronger for it, for the trust they show each other, Billie placing herself in her hands, her being allowed to be herself in front of her.

Often it's things like telling her to eat something healthy or to do her dishes before they start to pile up ("c'mon right now, be good for me sweetheart").

She doesn't raise her voice, just keeps it firm, and any time Billie does as she says she runs her nails carefully across the back of her neck, tangles her fingers into her hair in the way that she knows relaxes her completely, she practically goes limp.

She can _see_ Billie start to breathe again, can see her stress less about her choices, and she can _feel_ her own confidence building, she's not so quiet when her father talks about her future like it's not her own decision, she holds her head up and meets his gaze.

Some times she needs to know she has a voice, sometimes Billie needs to know she can lean on someone else.

It works for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay guys, I've never done anything resembling this, so I'm sorry if it is wildly inaccurate, I have no ill intent.  
I also decided I should explore a bit more of Heather's home life, I honestly think her father loved her, but I don't think a man who is so blatantly sexist could not treat his own daughter a certain way, I don't know I could label it as full blown abuse but there's no way it didn't have an effect.  
Also there was a thin thin _thin_ line to walk here with this not being "Billie is put back in an abusive situation because she doesn't know how to not be controlled" (even unintentionally, because Heather's not like that) but instead be "Billie is able to let everything go and let someone else steer who she loves and trusts." Also infuriating side note, when I was trying to research this one of the first things I stumbled across was someone saying there's no way for this kind of relationship to not be sexual as it inherently is and I wanted to roll my eyes out of my head.  
I hope I did it justice and you enjoy!  
This was inspired by 'songbird' by justaluckybug!
> 
> Check out the mycast for faceclaim references!  
https://www.mycast.io/stories/p/mLM9vESd2bfJh7lY0s6o5g


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